Bored to Tears in Heaven?

If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him, sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him, then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence? You’d be bored to tears in Heaven, if you’re not ecstatic about God now! — Keith Green

Link for "Oh, Lord, You're Beautiful" sung by Keith Green:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ3lvN4tQmY&feature=related

A single day in Your courts
is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
-- Psalm 84:10 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Do You Pray?

Do you pray? Diligence in prayer is the secret of holiness. -- J.C. Ryle

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Lessons Learned in the House of Mourning

This morning one of my partners in ministry, Pastor Sam, called to ask for a sermon outline he heard me share this past year at a funeral for a teenage boy killed tragically in a car accident. Because Pastor Sam has a funeral tomorrow for an 8-year-old little girl who died of cancer, he couldn't get the thoughts I had shared out of his mind. I had forgotten the funeral outline (originally penned by Dave Redick) but quickly realized how essential these thoughts were to me at the time I shared them and how essential these thoughts still are. Here are just a few of the points in the message of mourning:

Lessons Learned in the House of Mourning:

1. Live like tomorrow is uncertain - because it is.
2. Live like life is short - because it is.
3. Live like death is certain - because it is.
4. Live like eternal life is precious - because it is.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-3 (NLT) -- (2) It is better to spend your time at funerals than at festivals. For you are going to die, and you should think about it while there is still time. (3) Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

Isaiah 61:3 (NLT) -- To all who mourn... He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.

Hebrews 4:7 (NIV) says, Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

Lord, I pray for those who have lost loved ones long before they were ready to say goodbye. I pray especially again for the family of the teenage son who passed earlier this year and for the family of this precious 8-year-old daughter who just passed the line of worlds with cancer now behind her. And give Pastor Sam words of comfort for the family and friends at tomorrow's funeral. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

In Humility Consider Others...

One of my newest friends in Christ, Keith, an encourager, who is always into the good stuff, sent me these thoughts titled the "100/0 Principle" today:

The 100/0 Principle applies to those people in your life where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. Each of us must determine the relationships to which this principle should apply. For most of us, it applies to work associates, customers, suppliers, family and friends.

STEP 1 - Determine what you can do to make the relationship work...then do it. Demonstrate respect and kindness to the other person, whether he/she deserves it or not.

STEP 2 - Do not expect anything in return. Zero, zip, nada.

STEP 3 - Do not allow anything the other person says or does (no matter how annoying!) to affect you. In other words, don't take the bait.

STEP 4 - Be persistent with your graciousness and kindness. Often we give up too soon, especially when others don't respond in kind. Remember to expect nothing in return.

This may strike you as strange, but here's the paradox: When you take authentic responsibility for a relationship, more often than not the other person quickly chooses to take responsibility as well. Consequently, the 100/0 relationship quickly transforms into something approaching 100/100. When that occurs, true breakthroughs happen for the individuals involved, their teams, their organizations and their families.

Brother Keith's information reminded me of The Apostle Paul's words of saturation recorded in Philippians 2:3-11 (NIV):

(3) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, (7) but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! (9) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
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Take Time to Abide With the King Today!

Let us take time to abide with the King today, that we might know Him in the Beauty of His Holiness, lest tomorrow, time takes us away from the King's presence for forever.

(21) Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as "Lord," but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. (22) On judgment day many will tell me, "Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name." (23) But I will reply, "I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized."
-- Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

We Were Restored to Friendship With God By the Death of His Son!

My friend, Brian, leads our Mens' 20/20 Dawn Patrol Bible Saturation every second and fourth Tuesday morning of the week. Presently, we are saturating in the New Testament Book of Romans. This morning our concentration was on Romans 5. The opening paragraphs are so inspiring that I sensed I should share them with all the world, especially with you :-).

(I invite you to read these wonderful words aloud and to discover how long it takes for your own soul to be moved):

(1) Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (2) Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. (3) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. (4) And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. (5) And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. (6) When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. (7) Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. (8) But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (9) And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s judgment. (10) For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by His life. (11) So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God. -- Romans 5:1-11 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
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Jeremiah 33:3

This morning I awoke with a Bible reference on my mind as strong as any impression I've ever had. A life-verse for one of my pastoral leadership mentors, Dr. Charles Thompson, God's Wonder-filled words of expectation are recorded in Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV):

Call to Me, and I will answer you,
and show you great and mighty things,
which you do not know.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Know My Motives, Mind, Mysteries!

Holy Spirit, spiritually search, yes, scrutinize my soul.
Know my motives. Please, purify my heart with Your Holiness.
Know my mind. Let my thoughts become one with the Mind of Christ.
Know my mysteries. Lord forbid that some deep, dark mystery to me and in me would cause You misery.

(23) Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
(24) Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
-- Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

"GOD, I NEED YOU!"

I was in a prayer session with about 70 leaders from our local church this past Monday night. It was the most honest season of corporate honesty before God I remember being immersed in ever. One precious young lady, with deep cries from the depths of her desperate soul, prayed this four-word, heart-wrenching prayer to the top of her voice: "GOD, I NEED YOU! GOD, I NEED YOU!"

Her honest crying immediately gave way to our humble crying. It was indeed 2 Chronicles 7:14 illustrated. I have been echoing that prayer ever since and will surely echo it for many days to come:

"GOD, I NEED YOU! GOD, I NEED YOU!
In the Name of Jesus. Amen and Amen."

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a (one) righteous person has great power and wonderful results. -- James 5:16 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Grateful

Prayer of St. Francis & Matthew 25

I have two profound "thoughts" on my mind this morning:
(1) The Prayer of St. Francis
(2) The Words of Jesus in Matthew 25

Here are both in reverse order:

The Words of Jesus in Matthew 25 (NKJV):
(1) "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
(2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
(3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
(4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
(5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
(6) "And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
(7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
(8) And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
(9) But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
(10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
(11) "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
(12) But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
(13) "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
(14) "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
(15) And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
(16) Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
(17) And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
(18) But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
(19) After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
(20) "So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
(21) His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
(22) He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
(23) His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
(24) "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
(25) And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
(26) "But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.
(27) So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
(28) So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
(29) ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
(30) And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
(31)"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
(32) All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
(33) And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
(34) Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
(35) for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
(36) I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
(37) "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
(38) When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
(39) Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
(40) And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
(41) "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
(42) for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
(43) I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
(44) "Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
(45) Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
(46) And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

The Prayer of St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Lord, my prayer continues to be:
NO MORE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES!
For Your glory and In Your name. Amen. -- kw

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14
Grateful

Biblical Roots of Revival & Renewal

I heard Dr. Dennis Kinlaw beautifully share this New Testament passage as one of the Biblical roots from which we understand revival and renewal in our own lives and revival and renewal within the community of the local church and then beyond:

Like sheep you wandered away from God, but now you have returned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls who keeps you safe from all attacks. -- 1 Peter 2:25 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.

A Right Now Relationship With God

We can't expect to rely on an in-the-past relationship with an I-Am-Present God.

My God, I want an up-to-date, here-and-now, right relationship with You. I want to know You in ever-increasing intimacy. Amen.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst desperately for a right now, yes, an up-to-date personal relationship with God, for they will be fulfilled. -- Kerry's Paraphrase of Matthew 5:6

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

All the Difference?

Do we believe that what God does in one heart can make all the difference in the world?

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
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Be Honest. Be Humbled. Be Healed.

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves... -- 2 Chronicles 7:14a (NLT)

Humility is the consequence of honesty. If we will get honest before God, humility will immediately follow. Let's get honest with God. Let's humble ourselves in His Holy Presence.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL (HUMBLE THEMSELVES)?
I WILL (HEAL THEM... THEIR LAND)!
God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

I See The Lord

In Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah testified:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord...

Do I want to be able to personally say:
I see the Lord?

Do I want others to be able to personally say to me:
I see the Lord in you?

The words of this praise song have are one with the cry of my heart:

Click here: YouTube - Ron Kenoly/ I See the Lord

I see the Lord, I see the Lord,
Exalted high upon the worship
Of the people of the earth.
I see the Lord, I see the Lord
My eyes have seen the King,
The Lamb upon the throne
Who reigns forever more
(Repeat)

The train of His robe,
Fills the temple
A cloud of heavenly worshipers,
Surrounding His throne
We join with them now crying,

"Holy, holy is the Lamb.
The Lamb alone"
(Repeat chorus and verse)
(Repeat chorus)

... and ever
Forever and ever,
Forever and ever
Forever and ever,
Forever and ever,
Forever and evermore,
Forever more

My eyes have seen the king
The Lamb upon the Throne
Who reigns forever more
(Repeat)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Autumn Applause For An Awesome Creator

Today, I was blessed to ride a friend's four-wheeler through the mountains that connect Virginia and West Virginia. It was an amazing experience to see the seasons changing as the setting sun provided a golden heavenly light on the breath-taking fall foliage. If the autumn colors do not confirm that we have an Awesome Creator, I don't know what does! It was apparent to me that the marvelous mountains and the brilliant trees were united in glorious singing and adoring applause for our Almighty God.

The mountains and hills will burst into song and the trees of the field will clap their hands! -- Isaiah 55:12 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Who's Your Soul's Thriller?

Mrs. Chas. Cowman suggests this translation of 1 Samuel 2:1:

My heart thrills over the Eternal:
My powers are heightened by my God.

Thoro Harris penned this hymn in 1931:

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus
By His presence all divine
True and tender, pure and precious
O, how blest to call Him mine

Chorus
All that thrills my soul is Jesus
He is more than life to me
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see

Love of Christ so freely given
Grace of God beyond degree
Mercy higher than the heavens
Deeper than the deepest sea

What a wonderful redemption
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, though red like crimson
Can be whiter than the snow

Every need His hand supplying
Every good in Him I see
On His strength divine relying
He is all in all to me

By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Lamp Light

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
-- Psalm 119:105 (NKJV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
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My Sweat. His Blood.

I often pray this prayer as I seek to be a faithful minister of the Good News of Jesus Christ and a "carry-outer" of His Great Commission to us:

Lord, remind me over-and-over again as I live my life for Your glory:
"It's not much about how much I sweat!
It is all about how much You bled!"

'Tis so sweet to trust in You, Jesus!

Trusting Him must overwhelm trying harder.

Words of Jesus in Matthew 5:20 (NKJV) -- For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Confession Breeds Connection

Could it be that the reason we too often feel disconnected from God is that we too often disregard the simple and profound truth that confession breeds connection?

(3) Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. (4) And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, (5) we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. (6) Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land..."
-- Daniel 9:3-6 (NKJV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

The Perfect Storm

Today, I received a message for prayer from someone facing a somewhat scary horizon, yes an uncertain health challenge. The writer of the e-mail ended by saying: "I can't help but believe that this storm will be a storm of perfection in my life." I almost immediately thought of three words: "The Perfect Storm?"

Let us all take comfort, especially in the face of uncertain storms, that Jesus is the Master of every storm so He can make every storm that blows our way The Perfect Storm.

Nahum 1:3 (NKJV) -- The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
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Like A Tree Planted By Water...

(1) Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
(2) But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
(3) He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
-- Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Endure Hatred?

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
-- Jesus' words in Mark 13:13 (NKJV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14
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Being Still. Doing Nothing.

Being still, I've wonderfully learned, is much different than doing nothing.

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
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Be Listening

My prayer to the Lord these past few quiet days of my life can be best summed up in seven words:

Let me be listening whenever You speak.

Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. -- Isaiah 55:3 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful